Labeling machine



July 23, 1940. a. w. VON HOFE LABELING MACHINE Filed Nov. 4, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR. 65019615 14 voxv flori- BY z ATTORNEY.

Patented July 23, 1940 Q UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LABELING MACHINE Application November 4, 1938, Serial No. 238.760

15 Claims.

The invention relates to labeling machines and more particularly to labeling machines in which successive adhesive coated labels are successively applied by suitable mechanism to successive articles supported in label receiving position in the machine. The object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement whereby the articles are automatically supported in proper label receiving position and in accurate receiving relation to the label applying means. The invention contemplates particularly the provision of novel centralizing means whereby the desired relationship between successive articles and the label applying means will be automatically effected in a simple and ei'ficient manner to accurately apply successive labels on successive articles in the desired registration thereon without regard to the dimensions and shape of said articles and regardless of dimensional irregularities in articles of a common type being labeled. Other more specific objects will appear from the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate several examples of the invention without defining its limits, Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a labeling machine with the novel arrangement embodied therein; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevation of the novel centralizing means in one position; Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views showing said centralizing means in successive positions; Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary front and side elevations respectively of any form of the novel centralizing means.

For purposes of illustration and description, the novel arrangements are shown in combination with a selected type of labeling machine, it being understood that this is in no sense intended to define the range of utility of the novel features. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the labeling machine consists of a suitable frame Ill on which an upright container or hopper II is supported in any convenient manner at what may be termed the pick-up station of the machine.

The container or hopper II is designed to contain a supply of labels I2 in the form of an upright stack; suitable provision is made in any wellknown way to bring about a periodic elevation of the stack of labels I2 in the container or hopthe stack and movable toward and away from the same in the well-known way.

In the operation of the selected machine, successive terminal labels I2 are removed in individual succession from the top of the stack in the hopper II and transferred to the applying station at which application ofthe labels I2 to the articles takes place. During their passage from pick-up station to the applying station, the labels I2 each receive a coating of adhesive, for instance, by being passed in tangential contact with an adhesiveapplying roller I4 forming part of an adhesive applying means I of conventional type located in the machine at a suitable point between the pick-up and applying stations, as shown in Fig. 1.

The means whereby the aforesaid transference of the labels l2 from the pick-up station to the applying station is accomplished is illustrated in a conventional form consisting of a carriage I6 slidably mounted on a rail I! supported on the frame Ill in any suitable manner. The carriage I6 is reciprocated on the rail IT in proper timing with the other elementsof the machine by means of an oscillating arm I8 connected with the carriage I6 by a rod I9 in any well-known way.

whereby successive labels I2 are removed from the top of the stack in the container or hopper II at the pick-up station and initially applied to the article at the applying station comprises a In the selected labeling machine, the means suction head 20 connected with a convenient source of suction, for instance, by means of a flexible tube 2|; suitable provision is made in any well-known way to control the suction developed in the head 20 in properly timed synchronism with the steps of picking up, transferring and applying the labels in an operative cycle of machine.

As shown in Fig. 1, the suction head 20 is carried by a member or plunger 22 which is mounted on the carriage I6 so as to be vertically slida'ble thereon under the control of any well-known mechanism operating in properly timed synchronism with the associated elements of the machine. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the labeling machine may further include a pressure developing means whereby the application of the labels II to the respective articles is completed, subsequent to the initial application thereof by the suction head 20 or its equivalent. The pressure developing means shown in the selected example consists of a pressure member 23 carrying a pressure device 24 of suitable type, and itself depending from a plunger 25 vertically slidable in a guideway 26 suitably supported in proper position on the frame iii of the machine. Any conventional mechanism may be provided for vertically operating the plunger 25 and its associated pressure member 23 and pressure device 24 in properly timed relation to the other elements of the machine. As so far described, the labeling machine may be of any well-known type, the illustrated arrangement as previously stated being merely an exemplification of such machines for purposes of illustration and description.

Obviously in applying labels to the articles for which they are designed, it is desirable to have the labels uniformly positioned on all articles of a common type; to secure this result accurately, requires successive articles to be properly positioned relatively to the applying means at the applying station regardless of variations in the dimensions of successive articles of the same type and without the necessity for particular skill or special effort on the part of the operator in charge of the machine.

These results are attained with maximum efficiency by means of the novel arrangements illustrated in the drawings. In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the machine is provided with an upright support 21 secured by bolts 28 or the like to a beam or brace 29 forming part of the frame ill, said support 21 including a preferably integral bearing bracket 30 carrying bearings 3| spaced apart in horizontal axial alignment. Arms 32 are loosely mounted on a pivot pin 33 supported in the bearings 3|, said arms 32 being pivotally movable on said pin 33 in a manner and for the purpose to be more fully set forth hereinafter. At their upper ends the arms 32 are provided with combined supporting and clamping devices 34 whereby successive articles to be labeled are supported and clamped in label receiving position in predetermined relation to the label applying means in an accurate and uniform manner. The combined supporting and clamping devices 34 are constructed and dimensioned in accordance with the articles to be accommodated thereby and in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive are illustrated in a form designed specially for bottles A of generally oval shape in cross-section. The devices 34 accordingly are provided with inwardly directed projections 35 extending toward each other in registering opposed relation and having sloping upper surfaces 36 which in combination with upwardly converging surfaces 31 form recesses or notches at the inner faces of said devices 34. The latter are preferably removably mounted on the arms 32 and in the illustrated example are carried by members 38 secured in place on flanges 39 at the upper ends of the arms 32 by means of screws 40 or the like.

At their lower ends the arms 32 are pivotally connected at 4| with toggle links 42 which in turn are pivotally connected at 43 with a plunger 44 vertically slidable in a guide bearing 45'carried by spaced webs 46 forming part of and depending from the bearing bracket 30. The lower end of the plunger 44 engages a roller 41 journalled on a member 48 which is adjustably mounted, for instance by means of a screwthreaded stem 49 and a nut 50, on a rocking lever 5| pivoted at 52 on a bracket 53 forming part of and depending from the support 21 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The lever 5| at its one end carries a roller 54 in rolling engagement with an operating cam 55 fixed upon a shaft 56 which is suitably journalled on the frame i0 and is rotatably actuated in any convenient manner; as shown. the cam 33 includes circumferential cam sections a, b and c, the purpose of which will appear more fully hereinafter. At its other end, the lever 3| is provided with an aperture 51 in which one end of a spring 88 is fastened, the other end of said spring 53 being secured to a pin 33 carried by the plunger 44 and vertically movable in a slot 43 formed in the guide bearing 43 as illustrated in F138. 1 and 2. The spring 63 serves to yieldingly maintain the roller 41 in operative engagement with the plunger 44 as will be apparent. A second spring 4| is connected at one end with a pin 42 fixed on a suitable portion of the bracket 34, and at its other end is attached to an apertured lug 33 located on the lever 5| at a convenient point between the pivot 52 and aperture 51 thereof; the spring 8| exerts a pulling tension on the lever II whereby the roller 54 is maintained in operative rolling contact with the cam ll.

The bottles A or other articles, subsequent to the application of the labels l2 thereto, may be disposed of in any convenient way, as for instance by being deposited in an inclined chute 34 supported, for instance, upon an upright member 33 fastened by screws or the like, to the support 21 and extending beneath and in receiving relation to the supporting and clamping devices 34.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the parts are in the position occupied thereby during the label applying stage, a bottle A being supported and clamped by the supporting and clamping devices 34 in label receiving position and the suction head 23 being illustrated in the step of applying a label l2 to the bottle A. When this depositing step or initial application of said label |2 to said bottle A has been completed, the member or plunger 22 will be vertically adjusted on the carriage l3 to lift the suction head 20 away from said bottle A to a raised position, above the level of the adhesive applying roller l4, whereupon the carriage I will be shifted to the left on the rail H to the pick-up station; at this latter stage, the suction head 23 is above and in registry with the stack of labels |2 in the container ready to be lowered into contact therewith at the proper time to pick up the next succeeding terminal label l2 from the top of said stack. When said next succeeding label l2 has been picked up by the suction eifective in the head 20 at the time, the latter is raised on the carriage l5 and shifted thereby toward the right on the rail H to the label applying station and during this movement toward the right, the label |2 carried by the head 20 is moved in progressive tangential contact with the adhesive applying roller l4 andreceives a coating of adhesive therefrom; at the label applying station, the suction head 20 is lowered on the carriage I to deposit the label |2 carried by said head 2|! upon the next succeeding bottle A which meanwhile has been clamped in label receiving position by the supporting and clamping devices 34. It will be understood, as previously stated herein, that the suction in the head 20 is automatically controlled in proper timing with the pick up of the label from the stack, the transfer of said label to the applying station, and the deposit or initial application of said label upon or to the particular bottle A which is in label receiving position at the time. It will further be understood that the feeler I3 is operated in proper synchronism with the other operative steps so as not to interfere with the removal of successive terminal labels |2 from the stack in the container Immediately after a label l2 has been initially applied to or deposited upon a bottle A at the label applying station and after the suction head 20 and carriage IS with the associated elements have been shifted out of the way, the plunger 25 and with it the pressure member 23 and pressure device 24 will be shifted downwardly in the guideway 26 to cause the pressure device 24 to develop an applying pressure upon the deposited label l2 whereby the application of the latter to the bottle A is completed. The plunger 25 is then raised to thereby lift the pressure device 24 away from the labeled bottle A and to restore the pressure developing means to its normal position illustrated in Fig. 1. initial and final applications of the label |2 to the bottle A, the latter is fixed in accurate label receiving position by the clamping devices 34, and at the same time is supported from below by the projections 35 thereof to resist the pressures developed during the aforesaid label applying operations.

As the latter operations, which require only a comparatively short time interval, take place, the roller 54 is located in engagement with the section of the cam 55 which is being rotated at a proper operative speed at the time. When the label |2 has finally been applied to the bottle A, the roller 54 will pass from the section 0 of the cam 55 to the section a thereof and thereby will rock the lever on its pivot 52 in a direction tending to move the roller 41 downwardly away from the plunger 44. This movement will be communicated by the spring 58 and pin 59 to the plunger 44 and accordingly will cause the latter to correspondingly move downwardly in the guide bearing 45. This downward movement of the plunger 44 carries with it the pivot 43 and accordingly causes the toggle links 42 to develop pulling forces on the pivots4| which are transmitted to the arms 32 to thereby swing the latter on the pivot 33; this pivotal operation of the arms 32 is such that the supporting and clamping devices 34 will be swung apart or away from each other, the extent of such movements as shown in Fig. 4 being sufiicient to shift the projections 35 outwardly beyond the labeled bottle A in opposite directions as illustrated in Fig. 4. The aforesaid labeled bottle A is thereby released and drops into the chute 64 which leads said bottle A out of the machine and delivers the same, for instance to a suitable conveyor whereby said labeled bottle A is transported away from said machine for further disposition in any conventional manner.

As the cam 55 continues to rotate, the roller 54 will finally pass from the section a to the somewhat lower section b thereof, under the infiuence of the spring 6| on the'lever 5|. The latter will accordingly be rocked on the pivot 52 in a direction to cause the roller 41 to develop an upward push o the plunger 44 which consequently is shifted upwardly in the guide hearing 45 to correspondingly raise the pivot 43. As a result an outward push is developed in the toggle links 42 whichis transmitted to the pivots 4| and pivotally swings the arms 32 on the pivot 33 in directions to move the supporting and clamping devices 34 inwardly toward each other. The arrangement and dimensions of the parts are such that at-the finish of the aforesaid inward movement of the devices 34 toward each other, that is when the roller 54 is on the section b of the cam 55, the devices 34 will occupy the position shown in Fig. 3 in which the converging surfaces 31 of said supporting and clamp- During the ing devices 34 will be spaced apart to an extent slightly in excess of the transverse dimension or width of the bottle A; in other words, there will be a clearance between the aforesaid surfaces 31 which is, for instance, about greater than the width of the bottle A or other article. This enables the operator to readily insert a successive bottle A between the devices 34 and to place said bottle A in position upon the projections 35 as illustrated in Fig. 3.

A continued operation of the cam 55 causes the roller 54 to pass from the section b to the lowest section 0 of said cam 55 and thereby rocks the lever 5| on its pivot 52 in a direction to cause the roller 41, under the influence of the spring 6|, to shift the plunger 44 upwardly to an additional extent in the guide bearing 45. This additional upward movement brings about a corresponding additional upward movement of the pivot 42 which develops a further outward push in the toggle links. 42 and/ thereby rocks the arms 32 on "the pivot 33 in a manner to bring the supporting and clamping devices 34 into clamping engagement with the bottle A. The

latter is accordingly firmly fixed and supported in label receiving position and the previously described label applying and other operations are repeated; the described operative cycle is repeated throughout a given operative period of the machine. It will be noted that the upright member 65 extends upwardly beyond or at least into hozizontal registry with the space between the supporting and clamping devices 34 to the rear thereof and thereby acts as a positioning stop to predetermine the position of the bottles A or other articles in the direction of their length between said devices 34; to reduce the possibility of injury to said bottles A or other articles, the

sive bottles A or other articles in place between the devices 34, the steps of applying the labels and the removal of the labeled bottles A or other articles being automatically carried out as .described. This obviously speeds up the operation of the machine to a maximum degree.

Under certain conditions, as for instance because of character and dimensions/of the articles being labeled, it is inadvisable. to permit the labeled articles to drop .into a chute such as the chute 64 for automatic removal from the machine. In such case an upright member 65 similar to the member 65 is secured on an upright support 2'| corresponding to the support 21 and mounted in the machine in the same way; as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the upright member 65 includes a bottom support 65 projecting transversely therefrom and preferably provided with a cushion or pad 65 which constitutes a bottom rest for supporting the articles from below in the label receiving position. To enable the bottom support 65 to be vertically adjusted in dependence upon the dimensions of said articles, the upright member 65 may be adjustably mounted on the upright support 2" for instance by being provided with a slot 66 for the accommodation of screws 66 corresponding to the screws 66; to prevent lateral shifting of the bottom support 65 the member 65 may be fitted between spaced, parallel flanges member 65 may be provided with a cushioning responding to the flanges 2! of the form first described. In the arrangement illustrated in Figs.

5 and 6, the upper end portion of the upright member 65 located upwardly beyond the bottom support 65 constitutes a positioning stop for determining the label receiving position of the articles being labeled.

In the selected example illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the article being labeled comprises a bottle A of general oval form in cross-section. In order not only to support and clamp such bottles A in label receiving position but in addition to automatically level the same, clamping devices are provided which develop a camming action on said bottles A whereby the label receiving surfaces of the latter are accurately levelled on the pad 65 of the bottom support 65 in said label receiving pmition. The clamping, devices 34 shown in Figs. 5 and 6 are accordingly provided with spaced gripping members 36 having active clamping surfaces Il'l" the form of which depends upon the surface contour of the articles to be labeled; in the illustrated example the surfaces 31* are accordingly curved to fit the outer surfaces of the bottles A at spaced points thereof as shown in Fig. 5. The devices 34 in the form illustrated are integral parts of members 38 corresponding to the members 38 and likewise removably secured by screws 40 to the flanges 39 located at the upper ends of the arms 32. In all other respects the mechanism shown in Figs. 5 and 6 may be constructed and operated in the same way as illustrated and described with regard to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive.

In practice, a bottle A or other article is placed .in position by the operator upon the pad 65 of the bottom support 65' in contact with the upper end portion of the upright member 65", when the clamping devices 34 occupy a spaced position corresponding to that illustrated in Fig. 3, or in other words, when the roller 54 is in rolling engagement .with the section b of the cam 55. Subsequent to this, the roller 54 in passing to the section c of said cam 55 will operate the lever 5| and associated elements in a manner to move the gripping member 36 into contact with said bottle A to cause the clamping surfaces 3'! to accurately level the label receiving surface of said bottle A on the pad 55 and to coincidentally clamp said bottle A in correct label receivingv position thereon. A label l2 will then be applied to the bottle A in the same way as previously set forth herein and the clamping devices 34 will bottles or other articles in predetermined relation to the label applying means, and eiiiciently and accurately maintains said bottles or other articles in proper label receiving position during the apapplying means, are automatically ejected from the machine subsequent to the labeling of said bottles or other articles. In the other illustrated form the labeled bottles or other articles are manually removed by the operator.

The novel mechanism is-simple in construction and operation, and requires no specially skilled supervision, and is capable of being operatively embodied in various types of labeling machines.

Various changes in the specific forms shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a labeling machine, the combination of label applying means having a predetermined operative path including a labeling'point, a pair of arms pivotally movable on a common pivot,

clamping devices fixed upon said arms, toggle links pivotally connected with said arms, a reciprocable plunger to which said toggle links are pivotally connected, a rocking lever, a roller carried by said lever in engagement with said plunger, a spring for yieldingly maintaining said engagement, a second roller carried by said lever, and an operating cam operatively efiective on said second roller to rock said lever and shift said plunger to thereby pivotally actuate said arms in successive steps to adjust said clamping devices toward each other into spaced relation symmetrically with respect to said labeling point in excess of the width of the articles to be labeled to permit successive articles to be placed between said devices, to clamp said successive articles in a manner to fix predetermined label receiving portions of said successive articles in accurately corresponding label receiving relation to'the labeling point in the operative path of said label applying means, and to shift said devices away from each other to release said articles subsequent to the application of labels thereto.

2. In a labeling machine, the combination of label applying means having a predetermined operative path including a labeling point, a pair of arms pivotally movable on -a common pivot, clamping devices fixed upon said arms and provided with supporting projections extending toward each other, toggle links pivotally connected with said arms, a reciprocable plunger to which said toggle links are connected on a common pivotal axis, a rocking lever, a roller adjustably mounted on saidlever in engagement with said plunger, a spring for yieldingly maintaining said engagement, a second roller carried by said lever, and an operating cam operatively effective on said second roller to rock'said lever and shift said toward each other into spaced relation symmetrically with respect to said labeling point to peri mit successive articles to be placed between said clamping devices in resting engagement with said supporting projections, to clamp said successive articles in a manner tov fix predetermined label receiving portions of said successive articles in accurately'corresponding label receiving relation to the labeling point in the operative path of said label applying means, and to shift said devices away from each other to release said articles subsequent to the application of labels thereto.

3. In a labeling machine, the combination of label applying means having a-predetermined operative path including a labeling point, a pair of arms pivotally movable on a common pivot, clamping devices fixed upon said arms and provided with supporting projections extending toward each other, toggle links pivotally connected with said arms, a reciprocable plunger to which said toggle links are connected on a common pivotal axis, a rocking lever, a roller adjustably mounted on said lever in engagement with said plunger, a spring for yieldingly maintaining said engagement, a second roller carried by said lever,

an operating cam operatively eiiective on said" second roller to rock said lever and shift said plunger to thereby pivotally actuate said arms in successive steps to adjust said clamping devices toward each other into spaced relation symmetrically with respect to said labeling point to permit successive articles to be placed between said clamping devices in resting engagement with said supporting projections, to clamp said successive articles in a manner to fix predetermined label receiving portions of said successive articles in accurately corresponding label receiving relation to the labeling point in the operative path of said label applying means, and to shift said devices away from each other to release said articles subsequent to the application of labels thereto, and a chute adapted to receive the labeled articles subsequent to the aforesaid release.

4. In a labeling machine, the combination of label applying means having a predetermined operativepath including a labeling point, a pair of arms pivotally movable on a common pivot, clamping, devices fixed upon said arms, toggle links pivotally connected with said arms, a reciprocable plunger to which said toggle links are pivotally connected on a common pivotal axis, adjustably mounted bottom supporting means. and means for operating said plunger to actuate said arms in successive steps to adjust said clamping devices towardeach other into spaced relation with respect to said labeling point to permit successive articles to be placed upon said bottom supporting means between said devices, to clamp said successive articles in a manner to fix predetermined label receiving portions of said successive articles in accurately corresponding label receiving relation to the labeling point in the operative path of said label applying means, and shift said devices away from each other to release said articles subsequent to the application of labels thereto.

5. In a labeling machine, the combination of label applying means having a predetermined operative path including a labeling point, a pair of arms pivotally movable on a common pivot, clamping devices fixed upon said arms, toggle links pivotally connected with said arms, a reciprocable plunger to which said toggle links are pivotally connected on a common pivotal axis, bottom supporting means, and means for operating said plunger to actuate said arms in successive steps to adiust said clamping devices toward each other into spaced relation with respect to said labeling point to permit successive articles to be placed upon said bottom supporting means between said devices, to clamp said successive articles in a manner to fix predetermined label receiving portions of said successive articles in accurately corresponding label receiving relation to the labeling point in the operative path of said label applying means, and shift said devices away from each other to release said articles subsequent to the application of labels thereto.

6. In a labeling machine, the combination of,

label applying means having a predetermined operative path including a labeling point, a pair of co-operating rigid clamping devices movable in symmetrical relation to the labeling point in said operative path to clamp successive articles in repeatedly corresponding label receiving relation to the operative path of said label applying means and to release said articles subsequent to the application of'labels thereto, and mechanism for operating said clamping devices.

7. In a labeling machine, the combination of label applying means having a predetermined operative path including a labeling point, a pair of co-operating rigid clamping devices movable in symmetrical relation to the labeling point in said operative path to clamp successive articles in repeatedly corresponding label receiving relation to the operative path of said label applying means and to release said articles subsequent to the application of labels thereto, mechanism for operating said clamping devices, and a chute for receiving the labeled articles subsequent to the aforesaid release. v

8. In a labeling machine, the combination of label applying means having a predetermined 0D- erative path including a labeling point, a pair of co-operating arms pivotally movable on a com-v mon axis, clamping devices rigidly carried by said arms and movable thereby in symmetrical relation to the labeling point in said operative path to clamp successive articles in predetermined label receiving relation to said labeling point in the operative path of said label applying means and to release said articles subsequent to the application of labels thereto, and means for operating said arms.

9. In a labeling machine, the combination of label applying means having a predetermined op.

erative path including a labeling point, a pair of co-operating arms pivotally movable on a common axis, clamping devices rigidly carried by said arms and movable thereby in symmetrical relation to the labeling point in said operative path to clamp successive articles in predetermined label receiving relation to said labeling point in the operative pathof said label applying means and to release said articles subsequent to the application of labels thereto, supporting projections forming part of said clamping devices for supporting said articles in opposition to the operative pressure developed by said label applying means in the application of labels to said articles, and means for operating said arms.

10. In a labeling machine, the combination of erative pressure of said label applying means in the application of labels to said articles, and means for operating said arms.

, 11. In a labeling machine, the combination of label applying means having a predetermined operative path including a labeling point, a stationary bottom support in registry with the labeling point in said operative path for supporting articles to be labeled, co-operating devices movable in symmetrical transverse relation to said labeling point in said operative path for leveling the label receiving surfaces of said articles and for rigidly 75 clamping the latter in predetermined label receiving relation to said path, and mechanism for operating said co-operating devices.

12. In a labeling machine, the combination of label applying means having a predetermined operative path including a labeling point, clamping means pivotally movable on an axis transverse to said operative path for rigidly clamping successive articles in accurately corresponding label receiving relation to the labeling point in said operative path of said label applying means, and mechanism for operating said clamping means.

13. In a labeling machine, the combination of label applying means having a predetermined operative path, clamping means movable in symmetrical transverse relation to the labeling point in said operative path for rigidly clamping sucarticles, and mechanism for operating said clamping means.

15. In a labeling machine, the combination of label applying means having a predetermined operative path including a labeling point, supporting means for supporting successive articles at said labeling point to be labeled, clamping means movable in symmetrical transverse relation to the labeling point in said operative path for levelling said articles on said supporting means and for rigidly clamping successive articles in a manner to fix predetermined label receiving portions thereof in accurately corresponding label receiving relation to said labeling point in the operative path of said label applying means, and mechanism for operating said clamping means.

GEORGE W. van HOFE. 

